Car-fender



(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. MODQWELL. GAR FENDER Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

844044 404 fia czsjff'paweil q vi/Mmoaed Ilsa/0141013 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. MoDOWELL.

OAR FENDER. No. 544,742. Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F. MCDOWELL.

OAR FENDER.

No. 54,742. Patented Aug 20, 1895.

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UNirain STAT-Es ATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS MCDOWELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARQFENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,742, dated August 20, 1895. Application filed February '7, 1895. $erial No. 537| (N0 model-l To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MCDOWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Car-Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a car-fender combined with an automatic brake.

The object is to provide a car with a guard or fender adapted to be sustained normally out of operative position, and whichon engaging an obstruction upon the track will become self-adjusting to serve as a wheel-guard,

I5 and at the same time automatically set the of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar.let-' ters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the car-truck and the fender, showing the brake-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. (3 is a detail view in perspective of the engaging-hanger for the trip-lever.

In the drawings, A designates the body of 33 a street-car, a the truck, and a the platform thereof.

B designates the fender, which comprises a longitudinally-disposed tripping-bar b, pivot ally supported beneath the car body and plat- 0 form and provided on one of its sides with an enlargement 12 The inner end of this bar is loosely connected with the fender or wheelguard, as will be described later on.

To the front of the car is pivotally attached 5 a swinging guard b having at its center an 53 ping-bar b, is a retaining-catch b having openings 5 through which the tripping-bar is adapted to pass, a rest or shoulder b being formed in the opening, by which the trippingbar is adapted to be held in operative position. Secured vertically movable in suitable guideways is the fender proper b which consists, as seen in the drawings, of a cross-bar, to which is attached brooms or their equivalents, it being essential, however, that one or more downward acting springs, such as b, be secured to the cross beam or support.

0 designates the brake mechanism, consistint, of a clutch having a fixed member 0 and a loose member 0 each provided with engaging'teeth adapted to interlock. The loose member 0 is grooved at c to receive the forked end of a shifting-lever 0 A spring 0 is interposed between the loose member 0 and the framework of the truck and serves to force the loose member toward the fixed member, engagement being prevented, however, by the position of the lever 0 as will be described. To a suitable support attached to the car-body is pivoted this clutch operating or shifting lever, the front or free end of which extends forward through a slot of a hanger c, itbeing held about centrally of the slot, in which position the clutch members will be separated by a shoulder a of 4 a rotatable spring trip-lock a from which an arm 0 extends forward beneath the inner end of the trip-bar proper.

Benea h the car and chains are attached, and at their opposite ends are secured to the brake-blocks or blockholders a chain o being attached at one end between the axles of. the wheel is located a cross-rod 0 to which to the loose member of the clutch and at its v ping ot' thetrip-bar serves to release the clutch-operating lever and allow the spring 0 to act and throw the loose member into engagement with the fixed member, thereby causing the chain to be wound on the drum of the loose member, and, rotating the cross-rod, apply the brakes. To avoid any danger of ICC the clutch breaking, the teeth are formed of a pitch of about forty-five degrees, and should the chain be wound too tight the loose member will pass a tooth, the spring 0 allowing the loose member to be moved away from the fixed member upon undue strain being applied. To set the fender, the front end of the tripping-bar is lowered until it engages the shoulder b the other parts being actuated thereby and caused to assume proper position. By this construction it will be obvious that the fender will operate quickly, and should the object struck pass the guard the fender proper would prevent it from passing under the wheels of the car. At the same time that the guard is oscillated the rod to which are attached the brake-chains will be rotated and the brakes set by the rotating action of the front axle, making stoppage of the car almost instantaneous.

In the use of this fender upon electricallypropelled cars it may be at times found convenient to interpose a switch in the main circuit, to be opened by the action of the tripping device in releasing the fender. It will also be obvious that the motorman, by depressing the headed pin D which projects through an opening in the platform of the car, may at any time operate the trip to release the .fender and thereby apply the brake.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- The combination with a car, of a fender vertically movable in guides, a tripping-bar pivotally attached to the bottom of the car and connected atits rear end with the fender, a spring adapted to yieldingly retain the tender in a lowered position, a device for normally retaining the forwardend of the tripping-bar depressed, means for releasing the bar, and brake mechanism adapted to be actuated by the release of the bar, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANCIS MCDOWELL.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH M. ENGEL, .T. H. BUNN. 

